Aashray Abhiyaan

Jan Kalyan Gramin Vikas Samiti (JKGVS)  runs the  Aashray Abhiyaan program  for the homeless and marginalized in Patna and other parts of Bihar.  JKGV Read moreS is a registered society serving the homeless and needy residing in urban/rural slums of Bihar since 2003. Aashray Abhiyaan supports almost 6000+ families directly in Bihar all year round working full scale in Patna, Maner, and Bhagalpur.  Aashray Abhiyaan is getting requests from all over the state and is targeting to scale up to 1 lakh families across Bihar. The program and organization are led by Sr. Dorothy Fernandes, Secretary, and Director.   Aashray Abhiyaan's  program's  objective and purpose are to be on the side of those who have been most marginalized , the least of our society and those who are helpless. Those poor who bear the brunt of a hard day’s labor and construct houses for others at the end of the day have no roof of their own. These are the most vulnerable sections of our society.  Aashray Abhiyan  team is engaged with these very people,  those who reside in the slums .  To ensure that government schemes reach the deserving people is one of the main areas of advocacy. Focus areas include : 1.  Right to Food : Distributing monthly ration packets to 6000+ families. Intervening in panchayats to ensure the use of organic and sustainable methods of farming and proper allocation of subsidies to farmers, ensuring the homeless and poor in our slums are enlist in the BPL list, monitoring the PDS and ensuring timely and proper distribution and allocation, reaching out with other schemes for the poor to counteract hunger 2.  Education - Child Development : For the past 15 years established and conducting a primary school “Nano Gyan Deep Niketan” Islamganj, Maner and 6 learning centers in Patna. Additionally, reaching out to children with supplementary educational help from KG to Class XII. 3.  Skill Training : Setting up and running 6 skill centers across Patna and Maner, providing legal advice, providing a 25% subsidy for purchase of sewing machines to support women's livelihood and income, organizing sewing, embroidery, appliqué work for young girls and women thus providing them with a skill. For the past 10 years, besides being skilled, at least 50% of the beneficiaries become self-employed and are today able to add to the income of the family.  4.  Health : Aashray Abhiyaan raises health awareness, conducts periodic health camps, advocates family planning, assists the homeless/urban poor to avail health services through Govt. hospitals and increases awareness about and assists in availing support under Govt. sponsored health schemes, MP / PM funds, etc. 5.  Social Security & Justice Schemes : Provide assistance in procuring documentation like Voter ID cards, birth/death certificates, caste/resident certificates, follow-through with assistance in availing benefits under various social security/justice schemes, specifically for the scheduled caste, backward caste, the Dalits and all the less privileged, ensuring beneficiaries secure old-age / widow pensions, etc. 6.  Employment and Economic Empowerment : Enabling unemployed youth and homeless to start small businesses and earn a livelihood. Training women in the production of low-cost detergents which are then marketed in rural parts of Bihar. 7.  Women Empowerment : Creating awareness around gender equality, stopping child marriages, addressing issues of domestic violence and undertaking reconciliation, educating about women's rights and issues around dowry, rape, female foeticide. 8.  Right to Shelter : Advocacy for the homeless' right to shelter and working with the government at various levels to ensure access to housing, water and electricity